Runaway Bay is a town in

Saint Ann Parish Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the county of Middlesex, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called "the Garden Parish of Jamaica" on ac ...

on the northern coast of

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

and is considered one of the most naturally beautiful places on the island. It is a notable tourist destination located west of

Ocho Rios Ocho Rios (Spanish for "Eight Rivers") is a town in the parish of Saint Ann on the north coast of Jamaica, and is more widely referred to as ''Ochi'' by locals. Beginning as a sleepy fishing village, Ocho Rios has seen explosive growth in the ...

, and slightly east of

Discovery Bay Discovery Bay (DB) is a resort town on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It consists of mixed, primarily residential, development, in particular upmarket residential development and private and public recreational facilities, including garden houses, ...

, where

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

landed in 1494. Ocean View Beach is a private beach situated at Runaway Bay. It consists of a series of hotel resort complexes and beaches. The name derives from its having been an escape route for runaway slaves.

Arawak The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Great ...

s were the first native settlers, but they were eventually overpowered by Spanish colonisers. The population according to the 2011 census was 8,640, roughly eight times the population of 1,116 determined in the 1970 census. Notable people born in the town include Canadian actress Samantha Kaine, who appeared in the 2002 film '' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind''. British composer and actor Noël Coward lived in nearby

Port Maria Port Maria is the capital town of the Jamaican parish of Saint Mary. Originally named "Puerto Santa Maria", it was the second town established by Spanish settlers in Jamaica. The ruins of Fort Haldane, built 1759, overlook the town. It has a p ...

and is buried there. Ian Fleming lived in nearby

Oracabessa Oracabessa is a small town in Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica east of Ocho Rios. Its population was 4,108 in 2009. Lit in the afternoons by an apricot light that may have inspired its Spanish name, ''Oracabeza'', or "Golden Head", Oracabessa's comme ...

.Paravisini-Gebert, Lizabeth (2008). ''Literature of the Caribbean''. ABC-CLIO. Page 45. . Not far inland, in the hills south of Runaway Bay, is the village of Nine Mile, which is where

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

was born and spent his childhood. Reef areas such as the Canyon and Ricky’s Reef can be visited through organized dives offered at most hotels. Its fine offshore diving and snorkeling opportunities are said to be the best in Jamaica.Insight Guides (2016). ''Insight Guides Pocket Jamaica''. Insight Guides. Page 40. . Runaway Bay is a resort community with a good offshore reef, popular with snorkelers and divers. A couple of wrecked aircraft can also be seen in a dive site now known as Ganja Planes. Runaway Bay is home to an eighteen-hole golf course at Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club which has hosted a variety of championship events.Roth, Carolyn and Douglas Stallings (2010). ''Jamaica''. Fodor’s. Page 72. .

Etymology

The town is named after the Indian slaves who fled from Jamaica to

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

from Runaway Bay.Pariser, Harry S. (1990). ''Jamaica: A Visitor’s Guide''. Harry S. Pariser. Page 115. . Other sources claim the area is named so as it was where Spanish governor Ysasi fled to Cuba when the British invaders closed in.

History

Runaway Bay was the site of the first Spanish settlement on Jamaica and also the point of departure of the last Spanish troops after their 1670 defeat by the British. Runaway Bay was first developed for tourism in the 1960s with the opening of Cardiff Hall, which is now a housing estate. On

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

, 1957, the town was the site of a deadly explosion of a tanker loaded with aviation fuel. The tanker had been bound for

Sangster International Airport Sangster International Airport is an international airport located east of Montego Bay, Jamaica. The airport is capable of handling nine million passengers per year. It serves as the most popular airport for tourists visiting the north coast ...

in St. James Parish. A man who had earlier been reprimanded for trying to light a cigarette by constable Joseph Pennant again did so, causing the explosion, which killed 23 people and left a further 70 in hospital in critical condition.

Geography

Between Falmouth and Ochos Rios are two small mini-resorts:

and Runaway Bay. Runaway Bay is dominated by all-inclusive resorts and the more developed of the two bays. Runaway Bay is the smallest of Jamaica’s resort areas. It is 12 miles west of Ochos Rios and 50 miles east of Montego Bay. The one-street village of Runaway Bay is lined with all-inclusive resorts and stretches along the A1 for 3 km, merging with the neighboring community of Salem in the east. The east end of Runaway Bay is referred to as Salem and there is no clear boundary between the villages of Runaway Bay and Salem.Thomas, Polly and Adam Vaitilingam (2003). ''The Rough Guide To Jamaica''. Rough Guides. Page 222. .

References

External links

* {{Settlements in Jamaica Populated places in Saint Ann Parish Resorts in Jamaica